Piano chords · Pop heartbeat
How to play Billy, Don’t Be A Hero on piano
Artist unknown
- F major
- 4/4
- 100 BPM
- I–ii–V7–I loop
- Easy
Learn Billy, Don’t Be A Hero in 5 steps
The chords first, then one hand at a time. Each step plays in the player above.
- 1
Chords: F – Gm – C7 – F
Billy, Don’t Be A Hero sits in F major: F is home, where the song ends. It goes round 4 chords: F is F, A and C; Gm is G, Bb and D; C7 is C, E, G and Bb. Play each one as a block with your right hand until the changes feel easy.
FIGmiiC7V7FI- FF · A · C
- GmG · Bb · D
- C7C · E · G · Bb
- 2
Left hand: Drowsy heartbeat
Two slow notes, then a late one that slips in before the next bar. Musicians call it root bass · 1 · 3 · 4& (root bass rhythm), an easy pattern heard in 889 songs of the library.
- 3
Right hand: Sprint-and-stop chords
Four quick chords in the first half, then a calm, empty second half. It moves with the chords, so it fits every bar of the loop.
- 4
Both hands at 100 BPM
Put the two hands together over the loop. Start at half speed with the player's speed control, and bring it up once every change is easy.
- 5
Ending: Gm – C7 – F
The last chords are ii – V7 – I, then one chord rolled from the bottom up, left to ring.
GmC7F
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Questions about Billy, Don’t Be A Hero
What chords are in Billy, Don’t Be A Hero?
The loop is F – Gm – C7 – F (I – ii – V7 – I) in F major, and the song ends on Gm – C7 – F.
What key is Billy, Don’t Be A Hero in?
F major, at about 100 beats a minute in 4/4.
What does the left hand play in Billy, Don’t Be A Hero?
Drowsy heartbeat: root bass · 1 · 3 · 4&, an easy pattern. It follows the chords, so the same shape works for every bar.
Is Billy, Don’t Be A Hero easy to play on piano?
Yes. Both hands play easy patterns over 4 chords. Learn the chords first, then add one hand at a time.
Made from one arrangement of this song: the left and right hands are the patterns these scores repeat most.